Warwickshire dig in on Day Three

A double-century from Warwickshire’s Dom Sibley was the pick of the action on a difficult day of Specsavers County Championship cricket for Kent with only three wickets falling.

Warwickshire were the only county to have never had an individual score over 200 runs against Kent, a record that fell in the evening session as Sibley ended the day on 207 not out.

Having resumed on 142 without loss, Kent introduced the off-spin of Ollie Rayner after an hour but Rhodes swept his fifth delivery for a boundary to take Warwickshire past 196 – their previous best championship opening stand against Kent recorded by Dominic Ostler and Roger Twose at Edgbaston in 1989.

Rhodes again swept Rayner for his 14th boundary to reach his first century of the summer from 218 balls, but, only nine runs later, the left-hander chased a wide, full delivery from Grant Stewart to be caught behind for 109.

After lunch, Rob Yates succumbed to the second new ball when he nibbled outside off against Darren Stevens to be caught at slip as Kent’s attack, which had hitherto banked maximum bowling points in every game, missed out completely.

Sibley, who became marooned in the 90s for 48 minutes, finally reached three-figures after tea with a clip to the mid-wicket ropes. The 10th century of his first-class career came off 241 balls and included 16 fours.

Kent made their next breakthrough when Sam Hain (40) aimed to glance against Harry Podmore only to be caught off a fine edge by Ollie Robinson, the in-form Kent keeper, diving way to his left.

Though Kent could only manage to pick up one wicket in each of the three sessions, they will take some solace in restricting the Bears to only three batting bonus points as the dogfight to retain Division One status continues.

Credit: ECB Reporters’ Network

England Lions will face a touring Australian Test warm-up side at The Spitfire Ground, St. Lawrence in July as the visitors gear up for the 2019 Specsavers Ashes Series against England